Maharashtra: Amit Shah To Visit Congress Strongholds Vidharbha, Kolhapur Ahead Of Elections, Hold Meetings For BJP's Comeback

Mumbai: Ahead of Maharashtra assembly elections 2024, all political parties have geared up on their poll strategies. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) claims that the next chief minister would be from their alliance, while Mahayuti is trying best to retain power amid controversy, internal dicord and tense political atmosphere in the state.

On this light, Union Minister Amit Shah who is on a two-day tour in Maharashtra from tomorrow (September 24 and 25) is set to hold meetings with Mahayuti alliance parties BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP to finalise seat-sharing formula. However, the highlight of his tour will be his visits to MVA strongholds- the Western Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidharbha.

Notably, BJP has lost its strength in their home ground Vidharbha to Congress in recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. Out of 15 LS constituencies in Vidharbha region, Congress won 13. In LS polls, Congress also emerged as biggest party in the state.

BJP state president Chandrashekar Bawankule, Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar and union minister Nitin Gadkari hail from Nagpur, Vidharbha and RSS headquarters are also based here. Thus, it is crucial for BJP to regain its lost strength in the Vidharbha region and Shah's visit will review BJP's poll strategy.

Amit Shah will also hold meetings with BJP functionaries in Nashik, western Maharashtra's Kolhapur and Marathwada's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, which are also strongholds of MVA.

This is Shah's second visit to the state this month. On the occasion of Ganpati festival he had visited Mumbai and even the held rounds of meetings on the lines of internal discord in Mahayuti, especially Shiv Sena ministers and NCP-led by Ajit Pawar. The tensions in Mahayuti came to fore when Pawar skipped Coastal Road's section inauguration event.

Nagpur Congress Demands Nana Patols As Next CM

Ahead of Amit Shah's visit, the Congress have also pushed its gears on poll strategies and retain its power. Maharashtra State Congress President Nana Patole who also hails from Nagpur is projected as MVA's the chief minister's face. Although, Congress or MVA has not confirmed any CM face for the upcoming elections, Patole said, it is the workers demand.

Congress MLA and President of Nagpur Congress, Vikas Thakre said, "In Lok Sabha polls Vidharbha elected maximum Congress MP's. Now it is our responsibility to get the maximum MLA's from Vidarbha."